The Quran

Preface

وَدَخَلَ مَعَهُ السِّجنَ فَتَيانِ ۖ قالَ أَحَدُهُما إِنّي أَراني أَعصِرُ خَمرًا ۖ وَقالَ الآخَرُ إِنّي أَراني أَحمِلُ فَوقَ رَأسي خُبزًا تَأكُلُ الطَّيرُ مِنهُ ۖ نَبِّئنا بِتَأويلِهِ ۖ إِنّا نَراكَ مِنَ المُحسِنينَ

Yusuf Ali

Now with him there came into the prison two young men.¹ Said one of them: “I see myself (in a dream) pressing wine.” said the other: “I see myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head, and birds are eating, thereof.”² “Tell us” (they said) “The truth and meaning thereof: for we see thou art one that doth good (to all).”³

Now opens another chapter in Joseph’s life. The Plan of God develops. The wicked might plot; the weak might be swayed by specious arguments: but everything is used by the Universal Plan for its own beneficent purposes. Joseph must get into touch with the King, in order to work out the salvation of Egypt, and yet it must be through no obligation to smaller men. And he must diffuse his personality and teach the truth to men of all sorts in prison.
Two men came to the prison about the same time as Joseph. They were both apparently officers of the king, who had incurred his wrath. One was a cupbearer (or butler or chief steward) whose duty was to prepare the king’s wines and drinks. The other was the king’s baker, whose duty was to prepare the king’s bread. They were both in disgrace. The former dreamed that he was again carrying on his duties and pressing wine: the latter that he was carrying bread, but it did not reach his master, for the birds ate of it.
Both these men saw the Signs of God about Joseph. They felt not only that he had wisdom, but that he was kind and benevolent, and would give of his wisdom even to strangers like themselves. They therefore told him their dreams and asked him to interpret them.